remodeling

[low_delta]

Have I mentioned, lately, that I'm doing a lot of remodeling work?

After we got settled at the new house, we started on the second leg of the duplex project. After getting the first part of the upstairs apartment mostly done, this second part involves gutting a bedroom and a bathroom. It took us a few weeks to demolish the two rooms and the living room closet. We just about filled up a dumpster. Replaced a couple of windows too. I had to construct a couple of closets in the bedroom too.

The electrician is supposed to do his thing on the 15th. I've been bugging him for a month to show up. I was hoping to have the drywaller start on the 13th. Hopefully he'll be able to do his thing before Christmas.

I've got everything ready except the bathroom. I need to replumb the tub and build a wall/closet. There was a small closet off the hallway, and on the back side of it was the bathtub and plumbing. There were a few problems with this wall. First, once I removed the plaster, the wall wasn't connected to the rest of the house very well. Second, some of the lathing in the bathroom continued past this wall, into the closet, so if I cut it in the bathroom, it wouldn't be very secure in the closet, and I might end up having to fix it, which is difficult, at best. Third, the plumbing was somewhat exposed in the closet, and I didn't know how to cover it up. Since I always find it easier to build new than repair, I decided to take out that closet/wall.

Today's job was the plumbing.
I was hoping to get it all done today, but I didn't get over there until well after noon, and had to leave a little early. Plus, it was more difficult than I expected to dismantle it. As it is, it's not all dismantled. I shut off the water, and stripped back the supply lines. You can see them on the left side sticking out from under the tub. It was quite a job to remove the whole drain. It would have been easier if I had just cut it all out, but I was trying to save it in case I wasn't able to fit new stuff to it. I ended up sawing the drain part off of the tub itself. I still have no idea how it was supposed to come out.

Next, I have to remove that pvc drain line (because I'm moving the tub about an inch). That shouldn't be too tough *knock on wood*. I hope I don't have to pull up any floorboards. There's already too little wood there. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this wall, since there's no flooring where I want to put it. You see on the left side of the picture, where the bath tub is lying on its side? That's where one end of the wall is supposed to be - right up against it. You see on the right side, where there's one floorboard that's partly rotted away? That's where the other end goes. There's a joist in the middle, but that doesn't help much. Then, once I get the wall in, what do I do with the floor? How do I plug that hole? I'd like to put plywood down, but I have a 400 pound bathtub to work around (it's a Kohler, and was cast in 1940).

I have all this to finish by the end of next weekend.

Besides that, I have to schedule some carpet and flooring installation, find some kitchen cabinets, and do all the finish carpentry.

Comments

[roadskoller.livejournal.com]

Oh gawd, you're making me sore and tired. Good luck.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I think it's less than three inches cut from a 2x10. I imagine it's the same for the next three joists to the left. When I have access to the joists from below, I'll probably sister another one on. On the positive side, it's been like that for over 60 years, so it's probably okay. Besides that, there are or were parts of this house that had much less support than that.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of what you said, as I was moving the tub, tonight. Yes, I was moving it. I had it on a couple of dollies, and I kept thinking, what if the weight is more localized now?

[https://users.livejournal.com/-foryoublue/]

what lovely plumbing you have, my dear.

the only thing holding up my house is a band of termites holding hands. remodeling is intimidating :\

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

:-D

[vlinker.livejournal.com]

i use plywood for holes like that.....first, i install a piece of 3/4 ply under the existing floor so that it forms a lip for the new patch to sit on....then just fit the new plywood (same thickness as the old floor) to the hole and screw it down......if i'm worried about squeaks, i use glue.....

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I wasn't very specific. The problem I have is that I want to keep access to the cleanout on that drain pipe. I'd like that rectangular cutout in the foreground to remain cut out. I'm thinking of cutting a piece of plywood to fit the floor of the closet exactly, cover it with the vinyl flooring, and the just screw it down.